How long did your trailer take to build?

[canned o minimum]

On teardrop time it'll be done RIGHT the FIRST time round !

[Cliffmeister2000]

I'm always playing with designs

[doug hodder]

Scratch built my canned ham in 8 mos. of working weekends. For someone who hasn't built a trailer before, If you can't stay focused and have problems finishing up something you started....I'd not do it. Doug

[bdosborn]

One year till the teardrop was campable, with another year of final touches.

2 years for the Boxcar and I'm still dinking around with it.



Bruce

[aggie79]

It took 2 years, 11 months to get my teardrop to the 95% stage.

I built mine on the "pay as you go" basis. About 6-8 months of the build time was due to waiting to save cash to for the extras used in the teardrop.

Another 6-8 months was due to the complex design of the teardrop.

Take care,
Tom

[jonw]

Once I started drawing and cutting it took me about 2 months. I think it helps if you have most of your calculation and plans laid out before you start. You'll probably still have to make some adjustments but things will go a lot faster and easier.

Good luck!

[eddie6775]

There is some great advice here so far..I do have an old British car in the spot I want to use for the trailer..I've been working on it to get it street-able and Have it about 90% done. It's tempting to roll it out for the tailer but that would just screw both toys up....darn. Oh trailer, you will happen...you will

At the same time quality DOES take time!

I'd still like to put my design up for every one to see though,

Now...how to get sketchup to work on Linux...hmm.

[john warren]

well, mine is very basic. built as it was for me and a dog to go hunting in. took me 8 days.

[absolutsnwbrdr]

First one took about 2 1/2 months of about 15-20 hours/week. I barely made my deadline, which was a big teardrop gathering in New York.

My current build is at a much slower pace - averaging maybe only about 5 hour/week. But... my target finish date isn't for another 4 months yet. I'd just like to be "done" in time to make some April camping trips. Shouldn't be a problem at all!

[cuyeda]

Well, it took me 2 1/2 years using only hand tools. I'm one who believes in taking your time and doing it right the first time. Think things out before you dive into it and don't take short cuts. Buy the best. If you don't have the money to do so, then save up until you do. You’ll be much happier in the long run. I've got several thousand miles on my teardrop and 10 years without any major maintenance. You can see how I did it at http://www.gages-56.com/tear.html

Side note: Don't over build. Your building a teardrop trailer, not a house. Think about it.

Gage was one of the first persons to give me a response here on this board. Although I have gathered many parts for a build, I am still in the planning stages. It really boils down to how bad do you want to go camping, finances, space to build, and how much time do you have to devote being in the shop. I have seen and learned so many cool ideas here, I don't know how all of those features will fit on my first TD build! Once I get started, it won't be the only trailer that I will build. In my mind I have a list of wanna builds.

[gregp136]

Ours took 5 months. We expected it to take longer, but as we built, we got more and more excited and spent more and more nights outside in the garage with it.

Greg(and Laurie)

[cracker39]

Each of my to TTTs were started in January and finished in the May-June time frame, including cutting, welding and constructing the chassis'. I'm retired and could afford to spend 30-40 hours per week, less some down time for really cold days in the beginning of each build, and some really hot ones near the end.

[ssrjim]

I have about 500 hours in them.

[eddie6775]

I suspect The way I go about building my toy will have an effect on how long it takes to build. I plan on doing the wiring under the floor first, the floor,tiling and furniture that gets screwed to the wall second, to be followed by finishing the wiring to the inside of the trailer. That's stage one. I'm thinking I'm going to do the walls next, complete from wall paper to finish paint on the out side with the exception of the windows before they ever get mounted to the floor. I'm not running the wiring in there so It should be easy.
Third stage would be the ceiling from the out side, insulation and roof. Lastly, I'd then paint rubber on the roof, install the windows, door bed frame and galley along all the other little stuff like trim vents and lights.

I do have all the stuff needed from an old travel trailer that I'm scrapping, so getting it will only take the time to dismantle the trailer and clean it all up.

The one thing I've notice about my self over the years is that the "big" projects are easy to finish but the details just kill me! I look forward to finding out what my tear time will be! How hard could it be?lol



I think the better the plan I come up with the easier and quicker this will go!

[doug hodder]

but I belive even a guy like me with a pysical problem on fucosing
and the habit of not finshing projects CAN build a teardrop!!!!!!!!!!!!
it just takes a little "wee"
bit longer!!!!!!!!!!!!!
slowcowboy.

Slow...it was just sort of a general observation and not directed to any one particular person. You obviously overcame your physical problem and had the stick to it attitude that made you finish your project. That's great! Many don't, whether they lose interest, lack of funds, too difficult, or lose the space to build in, and we've seen partial builds for sale quite regularly. "1000$ invested, sacrifice for 400$ OBO" See it all the time.

We also see newbies that get all jacked up on it, asking all sorts of questions, I'm gonna build this or that and they just seem to disappear, so it does happen. Doug